Hong Kong medal hopeful Sarah Lee Wai-sze has played down the impact of the pandemic on the Olympics as she completed her last training competition before she sets off for Tokyo next month. Joined by teammate Jessica Lee Hoi-yan, both will compete in the women’s keirin and sprint in Tokyo, the pair finishing a five-day Olympic simulation race against mostly Hong Kong men’s track riders at Tseung Kwan O velodrome on Saturday. “I think people focus too much on the pandemic and to a certain extent exaggerate its impact to become the major subject of the Olympics,” said Lee, who will be taking part in her third Olympics and who turned 34 last month. “The biggest challenge of the Olympic Games is not the pandemic, it's the Games itself as a competition. In fact, as an athlete, we have to deliver under different conditions, whether we have the pandemic or not.” The biggest problem brought by the pandemic, according to Lee, was a lack of overseas competitions for the Hong Kong team since they returned from the 2020 World Championships in Berlin in March. But because they were forced to stay at home, they were able to focus on their training and use the time to improve on areas such as technique and speed. UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup: Hong Kong’s Sarah Lee Wai-sze scoops silver medal in women’s keirin final “Thanks to the support of various parties, our training programme has not been interrupted and the team were able to improve a lot,” she said. “And with the Nations Cup having been held in Hong Kong in May, we were able to compete against riders from different parts of the world and the internal simulation race also gave us a demanding test ahead of the Olympic Games. “In fact, the Nations Cup also gave us a timely rehearsal for the Olympics under the pandemic as it was held under a safety bubble and we went through every detail smoothly. We have already done the best in our preparations for the Olympics and we just need to wait for the biggest challenge to come.” Lee said she rememberedafter she won her first gold medal (500m time trial) at the 2010 Asian Games, she was so eager to do well at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, where she claimed two gold medals in the keirin and sprint. “The Incheon schedule was pretty similar to the one for Tokyo and hopefully I can achieve the same level of success as my target is to win medals in both the keirin and sprint in Tokyo,” she said. “Compared to many of our rivals, they will have to also compete in the team sprint for two more days [of competition] while we have five days of competition only. That may give us somewhat of an advantage.” Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Hong Kong’s Sarah Lee Wai-sze ‘warmed up’ for final Games but medals not the priority Lee also gave sound advice to Olympic debutant Jessica Lee, who returned to Hong Kong from Scotland in 2017 to pursue her dream of competing at the Olympics. She said the younger Lee should enjoy the Olympic Games as she was going on vacation to Izu where track cycling will take place as they “haven’t gone on a vacation for a long time”. Jessica Lee said her target would be reaching the second round in the keirin in Tokyo and setting a personal best in the 200 metres flying start of the sprint. Head cycling coach Shen Jinkang said Sarah Lee would be at her best condition since making her Olympic debut at the 2012 London Games, where she won bronze in the keirin. “She was an upcoming rider in London in 2012 and at the Rio Games she suffered problems that ruined her medal chances,” said the coach of her famous fall in the women’s keirin in Rio. “But in Tokyo she will be fully matured for the Games, mentally and physically, and we are confident that she can deliver the goods.” The coach said the five-day simulation races not only gave the two Olympic riders a timely warm-up before they leave for Tokyo on July 27 – four days after the opening ceremony – but also provided supporting staff practice for the big days ahead. Shen also said they had selected Choy Hiu-fung in the men’s road race for the Tokyo Games, while the women’s madison will consist of three riders, Leung Po-yee, Pang Yao and Yang Qianyu, of which one will be reserve. Cycling will feature a six-member squad in Tokyo. Choy, 25, is currently in China and has proven himself in three selection races. “He has a light frame [body] and he suits the 240-km hilly course from Tokyo to Mountain Fuji,” said the coach. “His target will be finishing the entire race which is not easy against so many top professional riders from all over the world.”